


Luthorcorp

by phoenixnz



Series: Nightwing Chronicles [9]
Category: Smallville
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 04:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12124926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixnz/pseuds/phoenixnz
Summary: The boys have graduated college. Lex goes to work for his father, but only to spy on him.





	Luthorcorp

**Author's Note:**

> I'm changing tack slightly on this series. There is a reason for it, I promise.

The graduation ceremony was over and all the graduates had gathered for one final photo. Lex was bored already but since Clark had dragged him over for the photo he had gone along with it to keep his boyfriend happy. As the farmboy nudged him to smile he pasted on a fake smile and sighed. He loved Clark but honestly it was like living with an overgrown puppy sometimes. 

They hadn’t made any firm plans after graduation. Clark’s parents weren’t exactly happy with their initial thoughts of moving in together in Metropolis. Clark hadn’t yet applied for a job at the city’s major newspaper as he was still undecided about taking a month off before sending in his application.

“Lex, smile,” Clark told him, nudging him with his elbow. 

Lex gave the obligatory grin and waited for the photographer to tell them it was all done. As the graduates began to disperse, he saw Bruce in the crowd. He grabbed Clark’s arm and pulled him over to their friend. 

“Wait, what about the graduation party?” Clark asked.

Lex ignored him and smiled at Bruce. The brunet looked seriously at him.

“Come on. There’s something we need to talk about.”

Clark groaned. “Don’t tell me. Another trip to some foreign city.”

“Not yet, farmboy. Let’s go.”

Bruce had the limousine waiting for them on the street. He nodded to Brad, who was holding the door open for them and ushered them inside. Lex saw a laptop sitting on the seat.

“What’s going on, Bruce?”

“We have a problem. Your father may have one of the stones.”

Clark frowned. “What?”

As the car began moving off slowly, Bruce opened the laptop and entered his password. He showed them a map of Honduras.

“As you know, Lionel has been employing people to undertake a worldwide search for the crystals your birth father told you about. About three months ago, he contracted an expedition to Honduras. My sources tell me there was a dig in progress at a Mayan temple.”

“Who’s your source?” Lex asked. 

“Dr Sandsmark. Helena is very astute and knows quite a few people involved in archaeology. She heard about the dig and noticed a few similarities to the dig in Egypt. Especially what appeared to be Kryptonian symbols.”

“How does that help us?” Clark asked.

“I’m afraid it doesn’t. Whatever was in the temple is long gone, which leads me to believe Lionel already has it.”

“So what do you think we should do?” Lex asked, dreading the answer. 

“We have to get to Lionel’s files. Unfortunately even I have my limitations. I can’t get through Luthorcorp’s firewalls. You, however, might be able to do something from the inside.”

Lex looked at his friend. “I don’t know, Bruce. You know how I feel about going to work for my dad.” Bruce had already tried to help him figure out a way to refuse his father’s demands to work at Luthorcorp but so far they hadn’t come up with anything they could use. Not without proof.

“And he’s already made it clear that you have no choice in the matter. Lex, we need someone on the inside and you’ll be perfectly placed. The only complaint Lionel has about your conduct is your relationship with us. Besides, if he does have the stone, or if he finds the third stone …”

Clark nodded. “Bruce is right, Lex. My father warned me not to let the stones fall into the wrong hands. If he finds both of them, he could study them. Maybe even figure out a way to get his hands on the one we got in Egypt.”

Lex swore. His father had refused to take no for an answer, ordering Lex to return to Metropolis after graduation, there to take his place at Lionel’s side. His only other condition was to end his relationship with Clark. He’d always wondered if his father knew more about Clark than he let on. This just might be the confirmation he needed.

“As you know, I’ve been doing some investigating into your father, Lex. Do you know a man named Morgan Edge?”

Lex shook his head. “No.”

“He’s a crime boss in Metropolis. According to what I managed to dig up, Lionel and Morgan were best friends as teenagers. Morgan was also suspected of several arsons in the city. I believe it had something to do with an insurance scheme. You know what happened to your grandparents. What is the likelihood that Edge and your father worked together and caused the explosion which killed your grandparents then split the insurance money?”

“How do we prove it?” Clark asked. 

“That’s a good question. I’ve been trying to contact a former cop by the name of Mason but he hasn’t returned my calls. Maybe you’ll have better luck, Lex.”

Lex realised he would have his work cut out for him when he returned to Metropolis a few days later. He reported to his father’s office.

“Well, I’m here Dad,” he said. 

“Good, Lex. I’m glad you finally decided to see things my way. Now, there’ll be some paperwork you’ll need to fill out. Insurance forms.”

“What exactly is going to be my position?” he asked.

“Since you have shown an aptitude for the sciences, I decided you can run the plant in Smallville. But I warn you. You are to have no further communication with Clark Kent. A farmboy is beneath you, Lex and I expect you to be on your best behaviour. And I would suggest you get out and find yourself a girlfriend. I do not want to see my son’s face splashed all over the society pages unless he is with a suitable escort. I tolerated your perversity but there will be no more of that. Court as many women as you like.”

“I’m gay, Dad. It’s not a choice, it’s who I am.”

Lionel scowled. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, Lex. No more. I expect you to find a suitable wife and settle down, produce an heir. Perhaps young Lana Lang. I’ve known her aunt for a long time and she comes from suitable breeding.”

Lex suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at his father. He didn’t like Lana Lang. She was pretty, he supposed, but the way Lionel was talking she was nothing better than a brood mare. 

Clark was dismayed when he relayed the conversation over the phone. He’d moved to the mansion a day earlier and had called his friend to warn him not to speed over. The farmboy had gone to the farm to help his parents out. He’d talked again with his birth father who had told him that finding the stones were his priority. Getting a job would have to wait. 

“Is he serious?”

“I’m afraid so, Clark.”

“But … you can’t … we can’t …” His friend didn’t have to voice it. Lex didn’t want to stay away from his boyfriends. They had a destiny together and Lionel and his homophobic attitude wasn’t going to get in the way of that.

“I know, Clark. I feel the same way but short of finding a secret hiding place somewhere, I don’t know what else we can do. I can’t trust any of the staff at the mansion and the town’s just as bad.”

“We’ll figure out something,” Clark promised. “We have to. I …” 

“Yeah, me too,” Lex replied. “I have to go. I have a meeting at the plant to get to.”

Lex hadn’t been looking forward to the meeting. While he had worked at the plant last summer and got to know some of the workers, he knew they weren’t exactly happy with the situation. Despite Lex’s best efforts to turn things around, as soon as he’d gone back to Princeton, Lionel had reversed all his decisions.

Well, the plant was his now, he thought. Why Lionel had claimed he would enjoy it because of his aptitude for science was unclear. 

When he wasn’t working at the plant, Lex spent time trying to figure out ways to get into the Luthorcorp computer systems. Bruce had taught him how to hack into a system using what was loosely termed the ‘back door’ but even then the process was long and tedious. He had to keep his attempts short so as to not alert security to them. 

It was a month later when he discovered what his father had meant by his science remark. A man who had been employed as a janitor at the plant turned up at the Kent Farm asking for help. Clark, after hearing the man’s story, immediately sped to the mansion, standing silently in the doorway of the study.

Lex stared at him, then glanced around uneasily. He was sure the room was bugged but had no idea where. Clark put a finger to his lips and began looking around, his eyes taking on what Bruce often called his ‘thousand-yard stare’. 

Lex had made sure there were no cameras in the study but that still didn’t stop his father from installing listening devices. He assumed his friend was aware of the problem, hence his signal for Lex to act as if nothing was going on. 

Clark held up both hands, his fingers splayed, with two fingers on his right hand folded into his palm. That meant there were eight, Lex thought. He frowned at his friend who pointed to a coffee cup on the desk. The cup was one sold by The Beanery and included the coffee shop’s logo. Clark then tapped his wrist and held up one hand again, fingers splayed. Five minutes. He sped away. 

Damn the need for so much subterfuge, Lex thought as he got up from the desk. He left the study and grabbed his keys from the side table in the corridor.

“Going out, sir?” a voice asked. “I mean, Lex?”

Startled, Lex turned and looked at Raines. “Yeah. Thought I’d take a break. Feel free to take the rest of the afternoon off.”

“Of course.”

While he liked his butler-cum-assistant, he wondered if the other man was reporting to Lionel. As long as he didn’t spot Clark super-speeding into the mansion, Lex didn’t really care what the man did.

He drove to the Beanery in his Porsche and parked in the street. A few people shot him suspicious glances but otherwise ignored him as he entered the coffee shop. The girl on the counter smiled at him.

“What can I get for you, Mr Luthor?”

“Could I have a double cappuccino, extra hot, no foam, please Zoe?”

“Of course. Help yourself to a muffin, on the house. They’re Mrs Kent’s finest.”

Grinning, Lex grabbed a muffin from the plate beside the cash register. The pastry was clearly fresh that day. He looked around and spotted an empty booth in the back of the shop. He sat down. Zoe came out with his coffee and set it down on the table.

“There you go,” she said with a bright smile. Lex grinned and thanked her. 

“Well, fancy seeing you here.” He frowned, looking up at the petite blonde standing next to Clark who shot him an apologetic look.

“Hey Chloe, why don’t you go order us some coffees,” Clark said, nudging the girl in the direction of the counter. He sat down opposite Lex. “Sorry. I bumped into her in the street and she wouldn’t leave.”

“What’s going on, Clark?”

“There’s this guy. Earl Jenkins. He used to work for my parents but then he took a job at the plant. As a janitor. Well, he’s sick and he says it’s from something he got at the plant. On Level Three.”

Lex frowned. There was no Level Three as far as he knew.

“Are you sure he’s talking about the plant?” he asked.

His friend nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay. I’m going to check the blueprints on the system and see what I can find out. Thanks for telling me.”

Chloe set down two mugs and sat down beside Clark. “So, my dad says you’ve been having problems with the guys at the plant.”

“They apparently blame me for my father reversing some decisions I made last year. The plant would have been in the black if he’d just gone along with my plan.”

“Well, no one could accuse Lionel Luthor of having a heart,” Chloe quipped.

Lex raised his cup in a mock toast. “You’ll get no argument from me,” he said. 

He started as a foot found its way to his crotch. He glared at Clark and shifted on his seat. His boyfriend offered a slight smirk. Lex took advantage of a moment when Chloe turned her head to look around the room to whisper to Clark. 

“Stop it. You’ll get us both in deep shit.”

Clark pouted but withdrew his foot. Lex sighed and listened to Chloe’s chatter without contributing anything. He learnt she was going to Met U in the fall and was planning on majoring in journalism. She clearly had a crush on Clark from the way she kept looking at him. Lex didn’t want to burst her bubble by informing her of their relationship or their future plans. Once they’d dealt with Lionel, that was. 

It was late afternoon by the time he left the Beanery and headed to the plant. He pulled Gabe Sullivan aside. 

“Do you know where the blueprints are to the complex?” he asked.

Gabe frowned at him but showed him, wondering aloud why Lex wanted to know. Lex shrugged. 

“I’m looking at expansion,” he said. 

The blueprints proved to be a dead-end. As he thought, there was no Level Three. Not on the plans at least. That didn’t mean, however, that Earl Jenkins was imagining it. He called Bruce, using the scrambler Alfred had managed to obtain from some of his old army buddies. 

“I’ll look into it,” Bruce promised. “Any idea what this mystery illness is?”

“No,” Lex told him. “Clark wasn’t able to give me specifics.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to Clark and see if I can find out any more.”

“Sir, you can’t go in there!”

Lex hung up the phone and looked up as the door to his office was flung open. He stared at the tall, dark-skinned man holding a rifle. The assistant stood behind him, looking frightened. 

“Mr Luthor, I tried to stop him.”

Lex nodded, his gaze wary as he stood up. “It’s all right,” he assured her. “Can I help you?” he asked calmly.

“Where is it?” the man asked.

“Where is what?”

“The elevator! I know it was here!”

He quickly realised exactly who he was dealing with. This had to be Earl. 

“Sir, I realise you’re very agitated now, but I can’t help you if you keep pointing that gun at me. Could you please … at least me know your name.”

“Jenkins. Earl. I worked here, on Level Three.”

Lex glanced once again at his assistant, who continued to stare in shock. “Marie, could you close the door please?” She sent him a puzzled look, but did as he requested. Lex turned back to Earl. “Mr Jenkins, you don’t look well. Would you like to take a seat?”

The man held his head in his hands. “I just want to know what they did to me,” he said. He sank down in one of the chairs. 

Lex quickly glanced around. He usually checked the office for listening devices but didn’t have time for that now. He spoke quietly.

“Mr Jenkins … Earl, I don’t know what to tell you. But I promise you I’m going to get to the bottom of this. You need help, sir. Medical treatment.”

He glanced around him and realised he’d never hung up the phone after talking to Bruce. His friend had probably already got something under way. 

“I just … I just …”

“I know, Earl and I promise we will find out what’s making you sick. You have my word.”

The older man looked at him. “I believe you,” he said. 

Lex smiled gently at the man. “You just rest here.”

He grabbed the phone. “You still there?”

“Yeah, I’m on it. I placed a call to Jim Gordon. He’ll organise for Mr Jenkins to get treated at Gotham General.”

“Thanks.” Something started rattling and he looked up. To his horror, Earl was shaking violently, as if having an epileptic seizure. “Get an ambulance here,” he relayed into the phone. “Quick as you can.”

Earl collapsed, losing consciousness. Lex knelt beside the man, holding his hand. It felt a very long time before the ambulance came. 

Bruce called him back two days later. “Earl Jenkins has been exposed to some kind of mineral poisoning,” he said. “From what he managed to tell the doctors before he lapsed into a coma, there was some kind of explosion on Level Three. And there is a Level Three. I found some old blueprints. There’s an elevator which, comparing your blueprints to the ones I found, has been hidden. From what I heard, there are some kind of experiments going on.”

“My father,” Lex growled.

“You need to get into those files, Lex. We need to know what he’s doing in that plant. It sure as hell isn’t fertiliser he’s got there. Oh, and you might want to keep Clark away. When I talked to him, he told me he couldn’t get near Earl for some reason. Like he was affected by meteor rock. One guess as to what your father’s been experimenting with.”

Lex doubled his efforts to get into the system, but to no avail. Either Lionel was paranoid or he kept the files somewhere else. They had to break into his father’s office.   
Bruce was in full agreement. 

To cover himself, Lex dropped hints he was going out partying in Metropolis, making sure he was seen at a local nightspot before slipping out the back. Bruce met him in the alleyway. Like the time they’d broken into Cadmus, he was outfitted entirely in black.

They drove to Luthorcorp Plaza. Lex stared up at the sixty-floor skyscraper.

“How exactly are we going to get in?” he asked. 

Bruce grinned and showed him a crude drawing. “I didn’t have time to get a scale model done up,” he said. “There’s a secret entrance, right around the corner. It leads to a private elevator which will take us straight up to the fortieth floor.”

“Then let’s go.”

There was a whoosh. Both men turned and groaned softly. 

“Clark, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to help.”

“You’re going to get us all shot.”

“Bullets just bounce off, Bruce. You know that.”

Lex sighed. “All right. But judging by the size of this secret entrance, we’re not all going to fit.”

“That’s okay. I figured out my own way in.”

Lex frowned at his friend. “How, exactly?”

Clark waved a hand in an ‘up, up and away’ gesture. While he was still leery of heights, he had been practicing using his abilities and claimed he could jump.

“You going to be able to jump that high?” Bruce asked. 

“I guess.”

“Don’t guess, farmboy. If you fail, we’re all going to be in deep shit.”

“Relax, Lex. I’m not a total idiot!”

“Fine. We’ll meet you inside then.”

He watched Clark walk away, then turned back to Bruce. “Let’s go.”

They quickly found the entrance and made their way inside, locating the private elevator. Bruce pulled out some kind of reader and connected it to the elevator’s locking mechanism. Lex frowned at him. 

“Where did you get that?”

“There’s this guy at the company. In the R&D division. I told him it was for thrill-seeking.”

Lex snorted quietly. Yeah, like that was believable. Then again, Bruce had been building up a reputation for an interest in frivolous pursuits lately. All in the name of throwing people off the track. 

Clark had donned his own mask when they met him outside Lionel’s office. The black clothing he wore looked bulky, as if he was trying to hide his own muscular build. He reached for the doors as if to break them open. Bruce stopped him.

“Ever hear of being subtle?” he asked. “You break those doors open and Lionel will know it’s us.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Lex shook his head. “Kid, for a genius, you’re not too bright.”

“Yeah, love you too, jerk.”

Bruce used the device to access the security system and opened the doors. He handed Lex a flash drive. 

“Get whatever files you can off Lionel’s laptop,” he whispered. He turned to Clark. “We’ll check the vault.”

Clark looked over the security system for the vault. It was on a different locking system than the main doors. “I don’t think your little thingamajig will get us in here.”

“Thingamajig?” Bruce sighed. 

Lex tuned them out, concentrating on downloading the files to the flash drive. He looked up when Clark groaned suddenly. Bruce barely managed to stop himself from calling out Clark’s name in alarm as the farmboy staggered. Lex ran over, staring in horror at the stash of meteor rock. It was glowing.

“Get him out of here,” Bruce whispered. Lex grabbed the farmboy and hauled him out, leaving Bruce to ransack the vault. 

Clark seemed to recover as soon as Lex got him out of the office. 

“I’m okay,” he said. “We should …”

“No, you’re staying put. We don’t want you passing out on us.”

He went back in. Bruce had grabbed a few file folders and was taking photos of the documents. Lex searched the vault for anything else and found what looked like a small metal case. He opened it up and nudged Bruce to look at the contents. 

The second stone, he thought, recognising the symbol as similar to one he’d seen on the statue they’d taken from Egypt. 

“Bingo,” Bruce said. “I’ve got enough. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

The sun was rising as he got back to the mansion in Smallville. Raines stared at him.

“Out partying?” he asked. 

“A man’s gotta have some fun,” Lex replied. 

“You do realise your father expects you to …”

“I know what my father expects, Raines. I’m just blowing off some steam, that’s all.”

Lionel left a message later that day telling him to report to his office in Metropolis. When he arrived, his father thrust a newspaper at him. 

“Partying until three am, Lex?”

He glanced at the photo. He’d made sure he was photographed leaving a nightclub with a socialite on his arm. Lionel didn’t look too upset at the news. 

There was no mention of a break-in.

A week later, Bruce called him. “I thought you should know, Earl died.”

“God, I’m sorry,” he said with a sigh. “I should send condolences to his widow.”

“Already taken care of. I’ve been looking into those files in your father’s office, Lex. There’s definitely something other than fertiliser being produced in that plant. Those meteor rock experiments have nothing to do with crops.”

“What is it, then?”

“He’s experimenting on people.”


End file.
